4.14.11
Brad left Saturday to head to Grand Cayman for his sisters wedding. Although I was also invited, there are no kennels here in the Bahamas and so someone had to stay behind and take care of the pets. That left me alone on the boat, at anchor for 5 days – the first time I had ever been alone on the water. We had checked the weather and the wind was supposed to remain calm the whole time he was gone, so, despite Brad's insistence that we put the boat in a marina where I would be safer, I knew I could tough it out on the hook.
Sunday Koa and I tagged along with Captain Mike and Karson, from Winddancer. They had rented a 20ft boat and were going to jet around some of the islands and go snorkeling and end up at a pig roast at the famous Nippers Bar. We went to this gorgeous snorkeling area, with huge fish and beautiful coral. But, due to Koa barking incessantly from the boat, I had to cut my enjoyment short. I headed back to the boat while they snorkeled on for a bit longer. We spent the day bar hopping, seeing the famous Hopetown lighthouse and finally ended up at Nippers Bar. Nippers is famous for their Sunday pig roasts, and for the delicious drinks. The bar sits high atop a hill overlooking the East beach, has two pools and layered decks for people to mingle. We grabbed drinks and headed down to the beach where I played fetch in the water with Koa for 30 minutes or so. We had been out since early morning, so he was already somewhat tired. We had a great time at Nippers, met some folks – old and new – and finally decided we were tired and had had enough to drink for the day. We mosied back to our boat and got comfortable for the ride home.
We made it back to the boat by 1800, just in time to head over for some sundowners with our neighbors whom I had only just met the previous day. They also have a large dog, a golden retriever, and they came over to introduce themselves when they saw Koa. They invited me over for drinks when they learned that I was flying solo for the week and also told me to holler if there was anything I ever needed. They were wonderful to me the whole time Brad was gone.
Koa and I soon got into a groove. We would head to shore for a walk early in the morning, come back for breakfast and then work on the boat through the afternoon. Around 1700, we would stop and either sit in the cockpit people-watching or relax below with dinner and a movie. These nights were mixed in with the occasional visit to or from friends for sundowners or dinner. Brad had asked that all our friends keep an eye on me and they all did a great job!
I became a master of the dinghy and the boat had never looked cleaner! I was keeping myself busy, but was ready for Brad to get home. Lugging 6gallon jugs of water around by myself was quite the task! And all of the other daily routine things that we do together are daunting when done alone! So, although I was proud of myself for being able to hold down the fort, I was ready for help to come home!
Brad finally made it home on the 14th and I took Koa in to go pick him up. Brad was impressed with my dinghy handling skills and also that I had brought the mutt in by myself – he is a bit of a handful on the dinghy. He was glad to be home, impressed by everything I had done while he was gone, and eager to get back in the groove of things.
Friday, May 13, 2011
TUNA!!!
4.8.11
Yesterday we got up early and made it to Spanish Wells by 0800 – we had a few errands to run and wanted to take in a few sights. We caught a ride to the other side of the island (only 3 blocks away) and then walked over to the beach. This island is a loyalist-settled island, so it is different than any other island in the Bahamas. The islanders are predominantly white and the culture is much different. The people on the island are number one in the selling of fish and lobster. Most people who live on the island have lived there their entire lives as have all the generations before them. The houses and yards here are very well-maintained – no chipped paint or run-down houses, all the yards are mowed and have gardens and flowers everywhere. It was quite a shock to see this place, having just come from some of the smaller outislands.
North of the island is a large reef that protects their shores, but is a bear to get through as a boater. If you are traveling that way, the almost required route is via a pilot – someone else who comes on your boat and leads you through. Most sailors will group together and split the cost of a pilot and follow each other out.
This reef makes for beautiful beaches though. The shoreline is protected and the sand is as soft as flour between your toes. We walked for a ways and then headed back into town for some groceries. On our way back to town, we passed a fenced in aviary of sorts. Although there was no enclosure, the birds were either flightless (chickens and peacocks) or they stayed there because of the free food. We were treated to a male peacock prancing around with his feathers up trying to impress two lady birds. We stayed and watched for awhile before heading on. The grocery store was quite large and well-stocked. Too bad we didn't really need that much! We grabbed a few items for our upcoming overnight sail and then went in search of somewhere to eat lunch.
We were soon picked up by a local in a golf cart, who offered us a ride to Normas – one of the best places on the island, he said. He told us that he had lived here his whole life (see, I told you so!) and that he was a fisherman. He goes out once or twice a year, for 5 months at a time! Whew – not an easy life if you ask me!
We had a delicious lunch at Normas and the owners were wonderful! They were witty and welcoming and joked around with us while we ate. Although the island is beautiful and extremely well-maintained, there isn't really much to see. We had traversed the whole island and even made a few stops and it was only a bit after noon. We made one last stop for fuel before heading back out to the boat.
That afternoon, we moved only 3 miles away to a protected area behind a small island. We plotted out our course for the Abacos and decided the best approach would be to leave at midnight, putting as at the cut for the Sea of Abaco at the 1300 slack tide. We got the boat in sailing condition, so that when we woke up we would just have to go. We hauled the dinghy and motor on deck for the long passage and made sandwiches and snacks for overnight so that whoever was on duty would be have ready-made munchies. We had an early dinner and were both in bed asleep by 1900.
At 2300, we woke up, hoisted the sails and were on our way. The wind was favorable and we were making great time! We opted to go South around the islands the large reef North of Spanish Wells, since we were leaving in the dead of the night. I took the first shift and Brad went downstairs to get some more sleep while I stayed at the helm.
The trip was mostly uneventful. It was an easy sail, with the wind directly off our beam. Leaving at midnight makes for a short overnight sail – two shifts of 3 hours each and the sun was already coming up. My sleep was interrupted by Brad banging on the cockpit floor above my head. I stumbled out of bed, still half asleep, thinking something had gone wrong and he needed my help. When I get topside, I realize he has caught a fish! I quickly take the helm while he starts the battle with this fish. It takes him about 20 minutes (we have insufficient tackle for ocean fish, we now realize), but he finally gets it to the boat – it is a beautiful 15lb-ish yellow fin tuna! Yay! Our first fish!!! And it is going to be so good!
Now....what do we do?! We let him sit on our transom for about 30 minutes until he was dead, but he left an awful bloody mess. So we haul him into the cockpit, and while we are bouncing around on the waves, Brad fillets him. There was so much meat on him – we could hardly wait to get to port and have some!
The rest of the morning was uneventful. The wind died about 0800 and we had to motor sail the remainder of the way. But, for this reason, the cut was flat and easy to maneuver and we made it through without incident. We pressed onward, North to Marsh Harbour. At this point, we were both exhausted and ready to drop anchor and go to bed. We were about 15 miles out when we heard our friend on Winddancer hailing us on the VHF. We made a quick judgement call and our stomachs outruled our sleepiness. We agreed to come over, with our freshly filleted fish, for dinner on the Hylas.
We made it to the Harbour at 1700, dropped the hook and then flew over to the Hylas, hoping for dinner, a few drinks and an early bedtime. It was not to be. Dinner and drinks with friends is never quick. Dinner was INCREDIBLE, our glasses were never empty and before we knew it, it was 2200 and we were just leaving. We stumbled home and fell into bed, aware that tomorrow would be an early day so that we could get Brad on the plane to Cayman.
Yesterday we got up early and made it to Spanish Wells by 0800 – we had a few errands to run and wanted to take in a few sights. We caught a ride to the other side of the island (only 3 blocks away) and then walked over to the beach. This island is a loyalist-settled island, so it is different than any other island in the Bahamas. The islanders are predominantly white and the culture is much different. The people on the island are number one in the selling of fish and lobster. Most people who live on the island have lived there their entire lives as have all the generations before them. The houses and yards here are very well-maintained – no chipped paint or run-down houses, all the yards are mowed and have gardens and flowers everywhere. It was quite a shock to see this place, having just come from some of the smaller outislands.
North of the island is a large reef that protects their shores, but is a bear to get through as a boater. If you are traveling that way, the almost required route is via a pilot – someone else who comes on your boat and leads you through. Most sailors will group together and split the cost of a pilot and follow each other out.
This reef makes for beautiful beaches though. The shoreline is protected and the sand is as soft as flour between your toes. We walked for a ways and then headed back into town for some groceries. On our way back to town, we passed a fenced in aviary of sorts. Although there was no enclosure, the birds were either flightless (chickens and peacocks) or they stayed there because of the free food. We were treated to a male peacock prancing around with his feathers up trying to impress two lady birds. We stayed and watched for awhile before heading on. The grocery store was quite large and well-stocked. Too bad we didn't really need that much! We grabbed a few items for our upcoming overnight sail and then went in search of somewhere to eat lunch.
We were soon picked up by a local in a golf cart, who offered us a ride to Normas – one of the best places on the island, he said. He told us that he had lived here his whole life (see, I told you so!) and that he was a fisherman. He goes out once or twice a year, for 5 months at a time! Whew – not an easy life if you ask me!
We had a delicious lunch at Normas and the owners were wonderful! They were witty and welcoming and joked around with us while we ate. Although the island is beautiful and extremely well-maintained, there isn't really much to see. We had traversed the whole island and even made a few stops and it was only a bit after noon. We made one last stop for fuel before heading back out to the boat.
That afternoon, we moved only 3 miles away to a protected area behind a small island. We plotted out our course for the Abacos and decided the best approach would be to leave at midnight, putting as at the cut for the Sea of Abaco at the 1300 slack tide. We got the boat in sailing condition, so that when we woke up we would just have to go. We hauled the dinghy and motor on deck for the long passage and made sandwiches and snacks for overnight so that whoever was on duty would be have ready-made munchies. We had an early dinner and were both in bed asleep by 1900.
At 2300, we woke up, hoisted the sails and were on our way. The wind was favorable and we were making great time! We opted to go South around the islands the large reef North of Spanish Wells, since we were leaving in the dead of the night. I took the first shift and Brad went downstairs to get some more sleep while I stayed at the helm.
The trip was mostly uneventful. It was an easy sail, with the wind directly off our beam. Leaving at midnight makes for a short overnight sail – two shifts of 3 hours each and the sun was already coming up. My sleep was interrupted by Brad banging on the cockpit floor above my head. I stumbled out of bed, still half asleep, thinking something had gone wrong and he needed my help. When I get topside, I realize he has caught a fish! I quickly take the helm while he starts the battle with this fish. It takes him about 20 minutes (we have insufficient tackle for ocean fish, we now realize), but he finally gets it to the boat – it is a beautiful 15lb-ish yellow fin tuna! Yay! Our first fish!!! And it is going to be so good!
Now....what do we do?! We let him sit on our transom for about 30 minutes until he was dead, but he left an awful bloody mess. So we haul him into the cockpit, and while we are bouncing around on the waves, Brad fillets him. There was so much meat on him – we could hardly wait to get to port and have some!
The rest of the morning was uneventful. The wind died about 0800 and we had to motor sail the remainder of the way. But, for this reason, the cut was flat and easy to maneuver and we made it through without incident. We pressed onward, North to Marsh Harbour. At this point, we were both exhausted and ready to drop anchor and go to bed. We were about 15 miles out when we heard our friend on Winddancer hailing us on the VHF. We made a quick judgement call and our stomachs outruled our sleepiness. We agreed to come over, with our freshly filleted fish, for dinner on the Hylas.
We made it to the Harbour at 1700, dropped the hook and then flew over to the Hylas, hoping for dinner, a few drinks and an early bedtime. It was not to be. Dinner and drinks with friends is never quick. Dinner was INCREDIBLE, our glasses were never empty and before we knew it, it was 2200 and we were just leaving. We stumbled home and fell into bed, aware that tomorrow would be an early day so that we could get Brad on the plane to Cayman.
Great Friends
4.6.11
We finally left Hatchet Bay today. While yesterday had been too rough to leave, today was too calm – where is the happy medium here? We had to motor the first two hours before the wind finally picked up and we were able to sail. Today we were going through Current Cut, a rather tricky passing. The cut is a narrow pass between two land masses where at anything but slack tide, the current races through either pushing you too fast or pushing against you so hard that with a small sailboat motor you cannot even get through! So, we had to make sure we made it to the cut at a certain time.
We timed it perfectly, hitting the cut at dead slack tide. As we were cruising through, sails up, I thought I heard my name being called off the starboard side. When I looked, there were three men yelling and waving their arms around on the seawall. It was our trawler friends! They had rented a car that day and had planned their day around meeting us at the cut so that they could take pictures of us under sail! How awesome!! We didn't have any pictures of our beautiful boat with her sails up – but we do now!
After that pleasant surprise and a great morning sail, we burst through the other side of Eleuthera into a less than pleasant afternoon. We were now heading straight into the wind – something that you just cannot do in a sailboat. So, we had to tack – something that is not fun to do in a sailboat. A trip that was only 10 miles long and should have taken about 2 hours, maybe a bit more, ended up taking us about 4 hours. We zigged and we zagged and we made ground and then lost ground. It was so frustrating! By the time we finally got to Spanish Wells, we were wind-whipped and exhausted! We dropped anchor outside at the first spot we could find, made sure the boat was secure and then made a beeline for dry land and protection from the wind.
We ran into some people that we knew, and they had rented a golf cart that day to tour the island themselves. They offered to join us for dinner and then take us on a tour of the island. We had a delicious dinner - they even served blizzards there!!! Then they took us on a tour, pointing out the must-sees and the grocery store.
We were very tired from the long sail that day, so we called it an early night and decided to take in more of Spanish Wells tomorrow.
We finally left Hatchet Bay today. While yesterday had been too rough to leave, today was too calm – where is the happy medium here? We had to motor the first two hours before the wind finally picked up and we were able to sail. Today we were going through Current Cut, a rather tricky passing. The cut is a narrow pass between two land masses where at anything but slack tide, the current races through either pushing you too fast or pushing against you so hard that with a small sailboat motor you cannot even get through! So, we had to make sure we made it to the cut at a certain time.
We timed it perfectly, hitting the cut at dead slack tide. As we were cruising through, sails up, I thought I heard my name being called off the starboard side. When I looked, there were three men yelling and waving their arms around on the seawall. It was our trawler friends! They had rented a car that day and had planned their day around meeting us at the cut so that they could take pictures of us under sail! How awesome!! We didn't have any pictures of our beautiful boat with her sails up – but we do now!
After that pleasant surprise and a great morning sail, we burst through the other side of Eleuthera into a less than pleasant afternoon. We were now heading straight into the wind – something that you just cannot do in a sailboat. So, we had to tack – something that is not fun to do in a sailboat. A trip that was only 10 miles long and should have taken about 2 hours, maybe a bit more, ended up taking us about 4 hours. We zigged and we zagged and we made ground and then lost ground. It was so frustrating! By the time we finally got to Spanish Wells, we were wind-whipped and exhausted! We dropped anchor outside at the first spot we could find, made sure the boat was secure and then made a beeline for dry land and protection from the wind.
We ran into some people that we knew, and they had rented a golf cart that day to tour the island themselves. They offered to join us for dinner and then take us on a tour of the island. We had a delicious dinner - they even served blizzards there!!! Then they took us on a tour, pointing out the must-sees and the grocery store.
We were very tired from the long sail that day, so we called it an early night and decided to take in more of Spanish Wells tomorrow.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)